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SOUVENIR 
AMATEUR. BILLJAR 





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:lub house of the Knickerbocker athletic clue 

madison avenue and forty-fifth st. 

new york city 



AMATEUR 

BILLIARD CHAMPIONSHIP 

OF AMERICA 

(CLASS A) 



SOUVENIR 

OF 

THE FIRST TOURNAMENT GIVEN UNDER 
THE AUSPICES OF THE ^MATEUR ATH- 
LETIC UNION OF THE UNITED STATES 



HELD IN THE 

KNICKERBOCKER ATHLETIC CLUB 

OF NEW YORK 

FEBRUARY I^TH, 1 899 



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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2011 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/amateurbilliardcOOamat 



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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF 
AMATEUR BILLIARDS 



HISTORY of amateur billiards must 
of necessity be merely a sketch to 
bring it within the scope of a few 
pages of this Souvenir. The writer 
would therefore first apologize for any 
omissions or inaccuracies of statement 
that may be detected by the reader; be- 
cause much that is given here is purely from 
personal recollection of facts that cannot now be 
easily verified. 

The first game of billiards that the writer 
ever played was upon a table six feet wide and 
twelve feet long, with six pockets, four balls, 
and a fast cushion. This was the customary 
outfit up to 1865; although soon after that date 
the size of the table was reduced to five and one- 
half by eleven feet and later to five by ten feet 
(the size used to-day in matches). The pockets 
were however retained for some time. Carom 
tables were introduced later. 

The carom shots were counted in those days, 
as well as the balls pocketed, according to the 
color of the balls. A carom on the two red balls 
counted three; one on a red and white ball 
counted two; a red ball in pocket counted three; 
and a white in pocket two. The usual game for 
amateurs was 34 points, and any one who could 
"run the game out " was a very skillful player. 



When these facts are remembered, it would 
be surprising now to most amateurs to ex- 
amine even the champion pro- 
CRADUAL fessional records of that date 

DEVELOPMENT . 

OF BILLIARDS 1" comparison with those of 
the amateur to-day. Even 
after the pockets were barred, four balls were 
still used and the "push-shot" and crotching 
of the balls were allowed in all championship 
matches. 

A comparison of averages made by profes- 
sionals under such conditions with those made 
to-day under vastly more difficult conditions is, 
however, liable to be misleading. The reader 
has no basis for the belief that such men as 
Phelan, Seereiter, Kavanagh, Crystal, Deery, 
Tieman and Golthwait would be to-day inferior 
players. Such is by no means the fact. The 
system of the game was vastly different then 
from that now in vogue. Until Vignaux 
first visited America, every skillful player made 
the cue-ball do most of the travelling; whereas 
the game of to-day is the one taught us by that 
famous French expert, in which the "dead- 
draw" holds the second ball and cue ball in 
close proximity, and the object ball is driven to 
return to them. 



About 1865, my first recollections of great 
amateur players were formed. I can vividly 
recall the wonderful skill 

r tir \/i Tz TT BILLIARD 

Of Wm. McKay, Herman ^.^^teur experts 
Aldrich, Mortimer Hum- of years ago 
phreys (later a profession- 
al), Walter Appleton, Fred Brittan, Wm. Cross, 
Chas. F. Spear, S. Rapalye, L. P. Norton, W. 
N. Weeks, John C. Eno and W. C. McCreery. 
Most of these amateur experts are still 
living and have great billiard skill to-day. 
Additions were made later to this small list of 
prominent amateur experts. I distinctly re- 
member when Wilson P. Foss, Orville Oddie, 
Walter Stanton, Arthur R. Townsend, Alex- 
ander Morten, G. Lee Knapp, George D. Clift, 
R. J. Maguinness, Andrew Miller, John Mc- 
Arthur, Jos. P. Knapp and Frank Dugro of 
New York; J. E. Soule, George E. Hevner and 
G. A. Flanagan of Philadelphia; H. D. Jennings 
of Brooklyn; John A. Hendrick of New Haven; 
C. E. Ellison and Frank Rice of Chicago; Arthur 
Coste of New Orleans (subsequently a profes- 
sional); F. Kraker of San Francisco; Frank Day 
of St. Louis, and many others who are prominent 
experts to-day first began to show skill at the 
"straight-rail" game before a balk-line was ever 
dreamed of. 



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In May, 1887, the Racquet and Tennis Club, 
of New York City, first conceived a National 

Amateur Championship tour- 
Ind ?en2is"lub "^"^^"t at "straight-rail " bil- 
TOURNAMENTS Hards. A valuable cup was 

first offered by the Club and 
later a second cup by Mr. Townsend of that 
Club — the latter on the condition that it should 
be won three times before it became the property 
of any contestant. The first cup was played for 
and won by Mr. Orville Oddie, in 1887, and the 
latter was won by him in two successive years 
(1888 and 1889). In 1890 it was won by default 
and became the personal property of Orville Oddie 
of New York. His grand averages of 1887, 1888 
and 1889 were 1 1, 7j^ and 8-f, respectively. No 
other contestant made in any year a grand average 
in these tournaments of six except one, viz., 
Arthur R. Townsend of New York. He made a 
grand average of 74 in the tourney of 1889. The 
highest run made in the Racquet Club's contests 
was 1 95, by Oddie in the tourney of 1889 ; although 
that run and the highest average of Oddie were 
beaten in 1890 by A. R. Townsend in a tourna- 
ment at "straight-rail" billiards given in Brooklyn 
under the auspices of Maurice Daly. In this tour- 
nament Townsend ran the game out with 257 and 
Frank A. Keeney ran 135 in one of the innings of 
the same game. ,o 



While the Racquet and Tennis Club's billiard 
committee were organizing their first tourna- 
ment (early in 1887) the first effort was made 
to define an "amateur" at billiards. 

A carefully drawn set of rules and regulations 
relating to amateur billiards was then prepared; 
largely through the efforts of the much lamented 
and enthusiastic billiard expert Walter Stanton 
(who was at that time chairman of the billiard 
committee). He was assisted in this work by 
Dudley Kavanagh, Maurice Paly, George F. 
Slosson and other well known professional 
billiardists whose experience enabled them to 
make valuable suggestions. 

This set of rules and regulations is to-day the 
only one relating to amateur billiards. Pending 
further modification and possible alteration by a 
national body, it stands as the first important 
move toward preserving the purity of amateur 
billiards as a manly and athletic sport. 

In 1883, professional players first began to 
play matches and tournaments with a balk-line 
(drawn upon the table in chalk) 
parallel to and eight inches from balk-line 
the cushion. The distance of the games 
balk-line from the cushion was 
afterward gradually increased to ten, twelve and 
fourteen inches. 



In 1890, the " straight-rail " game was aban- 
doned by professional players after the phenom- 
enal unfinished run of 2996 made by Schaefer 
against McCleery in San Francisco, Cal. Since 
that time most of the leading amateurs have also 
abandoned the "straight-rail" game; as runs 
from two to five hundred points in practice 
became possible with several of them. 

In 1 89 1, an amateur tournament at the 8-inch 
balk-line game was organized by Maurice Daly 
and played in his Brooklyn billiard hall. It 
was a handicap tourney. The winner was Mr. 
Samuel Erlich; Mr. Wm. Barnard was second, 
and Dr. H. D. Jennings was third. The highest 
run (76) was made by Jennings. The highest 
grand average (5.70) was made by Barnard, who 
conceded odds to all the other contestants. 

In March, 1893, George F. Slosson of New 
York organized the first amateur tournament at 
the 14-inch balk-line game (as far as any records 
go that are accessible to the writer). The con- 
testants were Messrs. J. Byron Stark, A. B. Miller, 
J. M. Amory, the late Byron Stratton, Harry Dodd, 
George Moulton and A. L. Ranney. The games 
were played under standard regulations (250 
points) without any handicap. Stark won. 
Miller was second, and Ranney third. 

In January, 1894, a second tournament at the 






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I 



14-inch balk-line game was organized (under the 
same conditions) by George F. Slosson. The 
contestants were Messrs. J. B. Stark, A. B. 
Miller, Frederick Oakes, Frank A. Keeney, Harry 
Dodd and A. L. Ranney. Stark won, Oakes was 
second, and Keeney third. 

In February, 1895, a tournament was held in 
Chicago for the Amateur Championship of 
Illinois, at the 14-inch balk-line game. The 
following score is of interest. It is given in a 
book entitled "Billiards — Old and New," by 
John A. Thatcher of Chicago: 



NAME OF PLAYER 

C. E. Ellison 

Frank Rice , 

Wm. Kellogg 

Thos. Nolan 

Mr. Goodwin 

Mr. Adams 

Edward Rein 

Mr. Brown 



WON 


LOST 


single 

AVERAGE 


GRAND 
AVERAGE 


7 





10.00 


7-75 


6 


I 


9.00 


5.80 


4 


3 


6.50 


4-75 


3 


4 


5.00 


3.60 


3 


4 


6.00 


4.00 


4 


3 


6.50 


4.40 


I 


6 


4.00 


3.20 





7 


4.00 


3.00 



74 
59 
34 
39 
46 

36 
23 
44 



It was on this remarkable score that C. E. 
Ellison became recognized as a possible rival of 
Martin Mullen of Cleveland, Wilson P. Foss of 
Haverstraw, N. Y., and Way man C. McCreery 
of St. Louis, as an amateur billiard expert. 



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In 1895, Maurice Daly organized a series of 
annual " Inter-City and Inter-Club Tournaments " 
for amateurs, at the 14-inch balk-line game 
(handicap) — 5x10 table — standard regulations. 
This is the score of the first tourney, which was 
played in Brooklyn: 



NAME OF PLAYER 


POINTS 
PLAYED 


HIGH 
RUN 


SINGLE 
AVERAGE 


GRAND 
AVERAGE 


RESULT 


J. B. Stark 

A. B. Miller. . . . 

A. R. ToWNSEND. 

F. A. Keeney. . . . 
A. L. Ranney . . . 
F. Oakes 


300 
250 

263 
250 
250 


53 
39 
50 
41 
37 
46 


7.16 

6. 10 

6.80 
6.17 
5.01 
4.60 


5.08 
4.38 
5.21 

4-74 
3.83 

3-75 


Tie 
between 
Keeney, 
Stark and 

Oakes. 

After 
play-off 

Stark 

won, 
Keeney 
second, 

Oakes 

third. 



In 1896, the entries to the second of this 
series and the scores made were as follows 
(under similar conditions to the tourney of 1 895) : 



NAME OF PLAYER 


points 
played 


HIGH 
RUN 


single 

AVERAGE 


GRAND 
AVERAGE 


result 


J. B. Stark 


270 


53 


10.23 


5.56 


Won by 
Stark 


A. R. ToWNSEND. 


325 


57 


8.80 


5.87 


3 ties for 


Edw. Gardner . . 


250 


34 


5.70 


4-34 


second, 
third 


Ferd.Poggenburg 


200 


36 


5-'3 


4.00 


and 


A. L. Ranney . . . 


210 


39 


4.25 


3-59 


between 


Frank A. Keeney. 


240 


42 


5.72 


4.68 


Gardner 
Keeney 


A. B. Miller.. . . 


240 


44 


6.13 


4.32 


Poggen- 
burg. 



'4 



^ 5 

In 1897 and 1898, similar tourneys were 
again organized and held under the auspices of 
Maurice Daly. That of 1897 was won by Wm. 
Barnard of Brooklyn. That of 1898 ended in a 
triple tie and was won by J. B. Stark, with F. A. 
Keeney second, and Ferd. Poggenburg third. 
Stark's grand average was 5.93, Keeney's 5.89, 
and Poggenburg's 4.70. 

In November, 1897, the "Amateur Athletic 
Union of the United States " wisely decided to 
place amateur billiards 
under its control ; thus control of 
giving billiards a national amateur billiards 
body to regulate its rules amate^ur athletic 
and tournaments, as well union 
as to determine the stand- 
ing, character, and qualifications of those ama- 
teurs who are ambitious to participate in open 
tournaments. 

This control over amateur billiardists does not 
apply to any contests within any club when 
confined to its members. // is only exercised 
over those amateurs who play in open competition 
for pri:{es. 

The first billiard tournament given under the 
A. A. U. sanction was held in "Ives' Academy" 
of New York City, in February, 1898. It was 

>5 



won by Florian Tobias, with Samuel Esterbrook 
second, and William Arnold third. 

In May, 1898, the A. A. U. "National Handi- 
cap " tourney was held in the theatre of the 
Knickerbocker Athletic Club of New York. It 
was eventually won by Dr. L. L. Mial, with 
J. Byron Stark second, and Dr. A. B. Miller 
third. These three gentlemen tied for first place 
at the end of the scheduled games ; and two 
subsequent "play-off" contests (of three games 
each) were required to determine the winner. 
The following is the score of the tourney: 



NAME OF PLAYER 


POINTS 
PLAYED 


HIGH 
RUN 


SINGLE 
AVERAGE 


GRAND 

AVERAGE 


RESULT 


J. B. Stark 

J. A. Hendrick. . 
C. Bainbridge. . . 

A. B. Miller 

L. L. Mial 

L. A. Servatius . 


300 

270 
260 

250 

250 
250 


64 
32 
21 

53 
50 

32 


9iIO 
4-93 

2-93 

5.87 
6.25 

3.08 


6.37 

3-52 
2.63 
4.67 
4.98 
2.61 


2d prize 

3d prize 
ist prize 



In November, 1898, the second A. A. U. handi- 
cap tourney for amateurs was held in "Ives' 
Academy " of New York City, under the man- 
agement of Wm. H. Myers. The contestants 
were three scratch men at 300 points, viz., J. B. 
Stark, Ferd. Poggenburg and L. L. Mial; also 

16 



Wm. Gershel at 240 points; Florian Tobias at 
215 points; and Wm. Arnold, Walter Douglas 
and L. A. Servatius at 200 points. Florian 
Tobias proved the winner; Wm. Arnold was 
second, and J. B. Stark was third. 



The Billiard Committee of the Amateur 
Athletic Union of the United States decided after 
the close of the "National Handi- 
cap Tournament" (played in the classes in 
Knickerbocker Athletic Club, May, billiards 
1898) to divide the amateur bil- 
liard experts of America into classes "A" and 
"B," and to play each class separately without 
handicaps for National Championship honors. 
This subdivision of amateurs seemed imperative 
at that time, because three players in America had 
attained such acknowledged proficiency in bil- 
liards as to practically make a class by themselves ; 
while other very skillful amateurs throughout the 
various states had aspirations to reach the same 
proficiency, but had not, at that date, demon- 
strated that they could confidently hope to equal 
the "Class A" men in "scratch" contests. 

The five gentlemen who now comprise 
"Class A" in amateur billiards are Wayman C. 
McCreery of St. Louis; Martin Mullen of Cleve- 
land; C. E, Ellison of Chicago; Wilson P. Foss 

17 



of Haverstraw, N. Y, ; and J. Byron Stark of 
Wilkes-Barre, Pa. They are known by all bil- 
liardists throughout the country for their remark- 
able billiard skill, and are close up in speed to the 
so-called "shortstop" professionals at 14 or 18- 
inch balk-line game. At certain styles of billiards 
(such as cushion-caroms or the three-cushion 
game) McCreery, Mullen, and Foss have frequent- 
ly held down the three great professionals of 
America to an even contest. 

On December 5th, 1898, the first A. A. U. 
"National Championship Tourney (Class B) " 

was played in the 
theatre of the Knick- 
erbocker Athletic 



AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP 
CONTESTS (A. A. U.) 



Club. The following is the score: 



NAME OF PLAYER 


WON 


LOST 


GRAND 
AVERAGE 


HIGH 

SINGLE 

AVERAGE 


HIGH 
RUN 


J. Byron Stark, New York 


6 





7-74 


10.34 


47 


Alex. Taylor, Chicago, 111. 


4 


2 


5.42 


7.56 


71 


J. DeMun Smith, St. Louis 


4 


2 


5.50 


6.97 


64 


Ferd. Poggenburg, N. Y. . 


3 


3 


5.42 


7.60 


48 


A. B. Miller, New York. . 


2 


4 


4.13 


5.00 


35 


Geo. E. Hevner, Phila. , Pa. 


I 


5 


4.67 


5-79 


29 


J. A. Hendrick, New Haven 


I 


5 


3.92 


4.63 


32 





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O. Ball 


PLAYER 

0. Ball 




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RUN 


TOTAL 





RUN 


TOTAL 




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RUN 


TOTAL 



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2 






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3 






43 






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4 






44 






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46 






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15 






55 








i6 






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16 






56 








17 






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17 






57 








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58 






18 






58 








19 






59 






19 






59 








20 






60 






20 






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21 






61 






21 






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63 






22 






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24 






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72 






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33 






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38 






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38 






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39 






79 






39 






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40 






80 






40 






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\ 5 

This tournament put Mr. J. B. Stark in 
"Class A" as an amateur billiardist; his grand 
average being practically a tie with that of C. E. 
Ellison, made in Chicago in 1895. 

In this tournament, Mr. Stark also made tor 
the second time the record single average for 
any amateur in an open contest of 300 points at 
the 14-inch balk-line game, viz., 10^. He pre- 
viously made the same average in the A. A. U. 
tournament, given in "Ives' Academy" in No- 
vember, 1898; and he also gained in that 
tournament the honor of making the highest 
record-run ever made by an amateur in an open 
contest at the 14-inch balk-line game, viz., 
ninety-seven. 

Up to November, 1898, the record-run of 
seventy-five (made by A. B. Miller of New^ York 
against Mr. Threshie of Boston) had not been 
beaten. 

The following data relating to some of the 
past performances (in tourneys or matches) of a 
few leading amateur bil- 
liardists may, however, past performances 

r • I 4^ + *u OF AMATEUR 

prove of mterest to the b.^liard experts 

reader. The runs and 

single-averages were not always made in the 

same year. 

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names whose best performances have already 
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Doubtless many other open tournaments be- 
tween prominent amateurs have been played 
in the past that are worthy of mention here; as 
well as tourneys for club championships, and 
private matches of great local interest. But the 
compiler finds it impossible to verify many of 
the records, and therefore omits them. In the 
future it is hoped that the ambitious amateur in 
billiards will naturally desire to become recog- 
nized as a tournament-player. He will then 
aspire to reach sufficient skill to gain ad- 
mission as a contestant for National Champion- 
ship honors in some "Class B" annual tourney. 
After that he will possibly hope and struggle to 
pass yet higher up the ladder of billiard fame 
into "Class A," where he can finally contest with 
the leading amateur experts of America for that 
coveted title — "Amateur Billiard Champion of 
the United States (Class A)." 

A. L. RANNEY, M.D. 



24 




¥HE, 





Wavmam c 

ST. i-OVlS, MO, 

MAJ^riN 
MVLUErN 

HAVE"J?STRAVV. 
N.V. 



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AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD SUCCESS 



WAYMAN C. McCREERY 



MR. WAYMAN CROW McCREERYofSt. 
Louis has been recognized for many 
years as the foremost amateur billiard 
expert of Missouri and west of the Mississippi 
River. He was born in St. Louis, Mo., on June 
14th, 185 1 ; is 5 feet 11 inches in height, and 
weighs 205 lbs. For years he has been actively 
engaged in real estate in his native city, and is 
the Secretary and Treasurer of the Security 
Building. As a musician he is perhaps even 
more famous than as a billiardist. For twenty- 
three years he has had charge of the choir of 
Christ Church Cathedral, and has been prominent 
as a tenor soloist. He composed the opera 
"L'Afrique," which was produced with great 
success in New York City some years ago. 

In 1897, President Cleveland appointed Mr. 
McCreery as Collector of Internal Revenue of the 
First District of Missouri. 

Mr. McCreery's charming manner and attract- 
ive appearance have endeared him to all who 
know him. In social life many honors have 
been bestowed upon him. He is a member and 
Chairman of the Entertainment Committee of 
the St. Louis Club, prominent in the Country 
Club, Secretary of the Noonday Club, a genial 
spirit of the University Club, and President of 
the St. Louis Cricket Club. He is a leader in 
all of the prominent social events of St. Louis. 
He married in 1875, and has three daughters 
and one son. 

3' 



As a billiardist, Mr. McCreery won the Amateur 
Championship of Missouri in 1868. He defended 
the challenge emblem three times successfully 
afterward and it then became his property. 

He defeated Alonzo Morris (professional) at a 
game of 100 points of 3-cushions, in 53 innings. 
He ran a game of 15 points of 3-cushions against 
Eugene Carter (professional) in two innings; 
and, against Frank Day, ran a game of 10 points 
of 3-cushions out in one inning from the lead. 
His largest runs (in actual contests) are as fol- 
lows: Straight-rail, ^^6', cushion-caroms, 54; 
bank-shots, 12; three-cushion shots, 14; 14-inch 
balk-line game, 132. 

In practice his runs have been much larger 
at some of these games, but have never been 
recorded by him. 

An amusing incident of Mr. McCreery's bil- 
liard experience has lately been published. 

It happened that McCreery had engaged to 
play a game with Frank Maggioli (a professional 
whose skill is well known throughout America). 
McCreery had agreed to make the attempt to 
concede this expert professional the heavy odds 
of 50 points in 300. Friends of McCreery, 
believing him invincible in anything he under- 
took, had wagered heavy amounts on his ability 
to win. Maggioli had his run of good fortune 
early in the contest, and when the game stood 
238 for Maggioli to 28 for McCreery, the friends 
of the latter left in disgust. 

32 



The following day McCreery was met with 
chaff on all sides when entering the club, and 
one of his friends remarked: "Why, Mac, you 
are good enough to win with amateurs but not 
with professionals." To this McCreery responded: 
"Well, 1 beat my man ! What did you want me 
to do — whitewash him ?" 

This proved to be the fact. McCreery made 
272 while Maggioli was struggling to get the 
needed twelve points. 

The remarkable skill of Mr. McCreery at the 
three-cushion game has given him a world-wide 
reputation. For many years he has been con- 
sidered as the equal of any player in America, 
professional or amateur, at this special type of 
billiards, which requires the highest possible grade 
of technique and certainty of execution. There 
is hardly a professional player of prominence 
to-day in this country who has not at some time 
been forced to acknowledge defeat at Mr. Mc- 
Creery's hands, at this game. 

A prominent billiard critic, in speaking of 
Mr. McCreery's strength as a match player, lately 
made the following remark: "The wonderful 
precision with which McCreery executes one 
difficult shot after another when the balls are 
running badly for him in critical stages of the 
game has often called forth my admiration. No 
difficulties seem to him insurmountable at times. 
I have often seen him execute ten or fifteen con- 
secutive shots that demanded skill equal to that 

3? 



of any professional player before he succeeded in 
getting the balls under control for a large run. 
I regard this as one of the strongest factors in 
McCreery's success as a match player." 

In closing, it may be said that Mr. McCreery 
is an expert in masse and draw shots ; a remark- 
able round-the-table player; a superb technician 
in all the intricacies of balk-line play ; and a great 
general when the game seems in peril. 



34 




WAYMAN C. McCREERY 



MARTIN MULLEN 



MR. MARTIN MULLEN of Cleveland, Ohio, 
has for many years been acknowledged 
to be the leading amateur billiard expert 
of Ohio, and he is thought by good judges of the 
game to be fully the equal (in skill and technique) 
of any amateur billiardist in America. 

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 
22d, 1852; and is 5 feet 10 inches in height. 
He weighs 175 pounds. He is unmarried. 

Like most successful business men, Mr. Mullen 
has won his way to wealth and social position 
by indefatigable industry and enterprise. He is 
a member of the Cuddy-Mullen Coal Company 
of Cleveland, Ohio, one of the largest mining 
and shipping firms of coal in America. He is a 
member of most of the social organizations in 
the city of his birth, and also of the Engineers' 
Club of New York City. He numbers among 
his host of friends and enthusiastic admirers 
most of the prominent coal and railroad men of 
various sections of this country. 

As he travels extensively in connection with 
his business throughout the Western and Middle 
States of the Union, Mr. Mullen is widely known 
by the billiard enthusiasts in almost every city. 
Whenever a leisure hour presents itself, some 
prominent amateur or professional is apt to fall 
a victim to his skill with the cue. 

A few years ago, when Jacob Schaefer and 
Frank C. Ives were giving exhibitions in theWest, 
each in succession tried to defeat Mr. Mullen on 

39 



even terms at cushion-caroms, but to their great 
surprise and that of many others, the amateur 
proved to be the winner of four games out of five 
from Ives, and three straight games from Schaefer. 
Probably there is no one in America who sur- 
passes Mr. Mullen in skill at that type of game. 

Those readers who are familiar with the 
difficulties of cushion-caroms will appreciate 
how formidable an antagonist Mr. Mullen is 
liable to be at this style of game when the 
statement is made that he once made the phe- 
nomenal run of sixty-seven without a direct 
carom. His accuracy in round-the-table play 
(like that of the other two contestants in "Class 
A") constitutes an important factor in all contests 
in which he participates. Never before in the 
history of amateur billiards have three contest- 
ants been brought together who possess so 
high a grade of technique at nursing combined 
with such remarkable accuracy in the execution 
of difficult cushion-caroms. For this reason 
great zest will be undoubtedly added to these 
approaching contests by the skill which will be 
shown by all three contestants when extremely 
difficult shots present themselves either by acci- 
dent or design. 

In the 14-inch balk-line game Mr. Mullen 
shows at times great strength in the "balk-line 
nurse." His knowledge of force and delicacy of 
touch enable him often to make large runs with 
little apparent effort. 

40 



The writer recalls a game at 14-inch balk-line 
billiards, in 1896, in which he saw Mr. Mullen 
make a run of 140, and an average of 25 in 500 
points, on a 5x10 table. He also remembers a 
series of practice games which Mr. Mullen played 
with Ferd. Poggenburg of New York, in the 
fall of 1898; the grand average made by Mullen 
in 1600 points was over 15. 

A few of Mr. Mullen's largest runs at differ- 
ent styles of game will be given later. While 
they were mostly made in practice, and therefore 
do not constitute records, they are quite excep- 
tional. 

Personally, Mr. Mullen is a gentleman of 
imposing figure, and of quiet, dignified reserve. 
His style of play is particularly attractive. His 
"dead-ball stroke" is at times remarkably per- 
fect; and in skill at nursing he is certainly the 
equal of any amateur in America. 

No one who knows Mr. Mullen ever ques- 
tioned his courage or his nerve under the most 
trying conditions. His friends believe him to be 
the greatest billiard amateur in America, and 
many of them have often expressed the desire to 
see him verify their estimate in actual contests 
with the only amateurs who can be considered 
as his rivals — McCreery and Foss. 

Mr. Mullen's greatest billiard performances 
comprise an unfinished run at the "straight-rail" 
game of ^6^, against Mr. McCleery (the profes- 
sional) in San Francisco, Cal. ; an average of 10 



in 300 points at the cushion-carom game, against 
Frank C. Ives; a run of 247 at the 14-inch balk- 
line game, against Edward Helm of Cleveland, 
in 1898; and an average of 35 in 400 points at 
the 14-inch balk-line game, against Mr. Cohen 
of Cleveland, within the past six months. He 
has run 67 at the cushion-carom game; and at 
12-inch balk-line he lately ran a game out with 
an unfinished run of 231. 



42 




MARTIN MULLEN 



WILSON P. FOSS 



MR. WILSON P. FOSS of Haverstraw, N. Y., 
has for the past ten years been acknowl- 
edged as the best amateur billiard expert 
of the East. 

He was born in Fairfield, Me., on April 9th, 
1856; is 5 feet II inches in height, and weighs 
185 lbs. 

For many years he has been the President of 
the Clinton Dynamite Company. For the past 
five years he has been the President and largest 
individual stockholder in the Rockland Lake Trap- 
Rock Company, which under his management has 
grown to be the largest plant of its kind in America. 

His beautiful home is located in Haverstraw, 
N. Y. He married in 1882, and has four daugh- 
ters and one son. 

As a boy, Mr. Foss showed not only an ab- 
sorbing interest in billiards, but a wonderful 
aptitude for the game. Before he was twenty 
years of age he was the best player in Maine, and 
in friendly contests had beaten most of the star- 
players who had visited his state. 

He then engaged in the manufacture of hats in 
South Norwalk, Conn., and for a period of four 
years ceased even to practice billiards ; as the 
tables were not kept in the best of condition and 
the associations of the game were not of the best 
character. 

Not seeing a promising future in the hat 
business, he went to Haverstraw in 1881 and 
undertook the manufacture of nitro-glycerine and 

47 



dynamite, for use on the West Shore Railroad, 
which was at that time in process of construction. 

Upon the completion of this railroad Mr. Foss 
represented the largest powder company of 
America for six months in Old Mexico, where 
he established many resident agencies. 

Returning from there, he established in Platts- 
burg (in connection with the Hon. Smith M. 
Weed) the Clinton Powder Company, conduct- 
ing a prosperous business there for three years. 

His leisure hours, which were few, were de- 
voted to occasional practice (chiefly in New York 
City) with the best amateur experts, and often 
with the leading professional players. 

On February 28th, 1886, Mr. Foss experienced 
a test of his nerve and endurance that probably 
exceeded any other event of his life. 

An explosion of dynamite in his works at 
Plattsburg, N. Y., converted the entire building 
in which he stood into minute particles of wood, 
and deposited himself with the boiler, machinery, 
etc., on the ice of the Saranac River. 

Mr. Foss was badly injured and stripped of all 
his clothing but his shoes; but he managed to 
walk far enough to order a telephone message 
(to allay the fears of his family) before he became 
unconscious. Over two hundred splinters were 
subsequently removed from his body, and some 
portions of his head were badly lacerated. 

The ability, wonderful courage and indefati- 
gable industry of Mr. Foss made his subsequent 

48 



rise to importance in the business-world rapid, 
and his success phenomenal. 

He controls enterprises of various kinds to-day 
that are of such magnitude as to be a severe tax 
upon his strength and energies ; and billiards is 
now but a source of mental relaxation and 
personal enjoyment. 

After the explosion Mr. Foss removed his 
dynamite works to Haverstraw, N. Y., where 
he now resides. 

The writer well remembers in 1892 when (with 
only two points personally to go) he watched Mr. 
Foss, as his adversary, defeat him with a run at 
cushion caroms of 56. He recalls friendly con- 
tests in which Foss gave heavy odds to Arthur 
R. Townsend at "straight-rail" game, about 
1892 ; another in which he made runs at straight- 
rail of about 400, in a contest with Jos. P. 
Knapp ; several exciting contests at three-cush- 
ions with Alfred De Oro (the champion of pool) 
in which Foss made the audience wild over his 
brilliant execution; and an average of 25 made 
by Foss in a game of 300 points, 14-inch balk- 
line, against the late Randolph Heiser, in 1893. 

Since the 18-inch balk-line game (one shot in 
balk) has become the test of skill with the lead- 
ing professionals, Foss has practiced it almost 
exclusively, and chiefly with George F. Slosson. 
Within the past year Foss has run 102, 1 18, and 
123 at this extremely diificult game (on a 5 x 10 
table). 

49 



At the 14-inch balk-line game Foss has run 
over 100 many times; but he has played the 18- 
inch balk-line game more, and thinks 168 to be 
his best run at the former. 

Personally Mr. Foss is a man of magnificent 
physique with hair tinged with gray. Power- 
fully built and with abstemious habits, perfect 
muscular development, a cool head and great 
courage, he may justly be regarded by any one 
as a dangerous opponent. His execution of hard 
shots is remarkable, and his position play accurate 
and at times daring. 

The strict sense of honor, of perfect fairness, 
of right and justice to all, which has made his 
business career brilliant and successful, must 
gain for him at all times the respect and esteem 
of his billiard antagonist, as it has of his rivals in 
commercial life. 



5© 




WILSON P. FOSS 




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THE PRIZES 

The prizes offered to the contestants in this 
tournament surpass in beauty any previously 
given in an amateur billiard contest. 

The first prize consists of a very large and 
beautiful silver cup of original design, mounted 
upon an ebony pedestal, with the figure of a 
billiard player (in relief) on the front and a laurel 
wreath surrounding the "Cherry Diamond" on 
the back. This prize-emblem is donated by the 
Brunswick-Balke Collender Company. 

The second prize is a superb cut-crystal and 
silver punch-bowl. The top and base are of 
special design of repouss6 work in silver, with 
the names of each contestant beautifully etched 
upon it, as well as the event itself, the date of 
the tourney, and the club-house in which it was 
held. The bowl is cut in a pattern that gives it 
extreme brilliancy. 

The third prize is a cut-crystal loving cup 
with three silver handles (staghorn-pattern) and 
an ebony pedestal. The top is ornamented with 
crossed-cues, billiard balls, a laurel wreath and 
the "Cherry Diamond." 

A diamond medal (designed by Alfred Bren- 
nan, Esq.) is also offered to the contestant that 
makes the highest grand average of the tourney. 
All the prizes but the first are donated by the 
Knickerbocker Athletic Club. 

63 



Illustrations of the first, second, and third 
prizes are given; but a drawing of the medal 
could not be prepared in time to admit of its 
reproduction here. 

The medal is composed of gold, with certain 
parts beautifully enamelled. It is two and one- 
half inches in diameter. In the center of its face 
appear the Roman "fasces" (a bundle of sticks 
wound ornamentally with a ribband). This was, 
in the past, the insignia of power carried before 
all Roman consuls and prominent officials. On 
either side of the ' ' fasces, " is a shield surmounted 
by a scroll of white enamel bearing the letters 
K. A. C. and A. A. U. (in gold) on the left and 
right sides respectively. The left shield holds 
the " Cherry-Diamond-emblem " of the K. A. C. ; 
while the right shield holds a palm leaf (the 
symbol of victory). A row of diamonds sur- 
rounds the inner circle of the medal. The outer 
circle consists of a wreath in greenish gold of 
oak-leaves and acorns (symbolic of hospitality), 
with the figures 1899 rising from the wreath in 
burnished gold. 

On the reverse side, are one red and two 
white billiard balls in enamel and the appropriate 
inscription. 



64 



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3iLL M* .*\W. 



OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES 



OFFICERS OF 

AMATEUR ATHLETIC UNION 

OF THE UNITED STATES 

PRESIDENT 

BARTOW S. WEEKS 

METROPOLITAN ASSOCIATION 

VICE-PRESIDENTS 

E. E. BABB 

NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION 

WM. HALE THOMPSON JULIUS F. HARDER 

CENTRAL ASSOCIATION NORTH AMERICAN GYMNASTIC UNION 

DANIEL G. TAYLOR 

WESTERN ASSOCIATION 

SECRETARY AND TREASURER 

JAMES E. SULLIVAN 

METROPOLITAN ASSOCIATION 



69 



BILLIARD COMMITTEE 

AMATEUR ATHLETIC UNION 

OF THE UNITED STATES 
P. L. ARNOLD, K. A. C. 

CHAIRMAN 

F. M. HAUSLING, N. Y. A. C. 

JOHN T. NORTON, K. A. C. 

JAS. D. BOYD, N. J. A. C. 
A. L. RANNEY, N. Y. A. C. 

SECRETARY 
REFEREE 

EDWARD Mclaughlin 

ILLUSTRATOR 

MR. FREDERIC COLBURN CLARKE 



70 



KNICKERBOCKER ATHLETIC CLUB 

OFFICERS FOR 1899 

PRESIDENT 

JAMES E. SULLIVAN 

VICE-PRESIDENT 

JOSEPH HAMBLEN SEARS 

GOVERNORS 

JOHN D. ADAMS 

J. HERBERT BALLANTINE ROBERT D. BALLANTINE 

W. N. COLER, Jr. GEORGE W. SCHURMAN 

JOSEPH HAMBLEN SEARS 

SECRETARY-TREASURER 

JOHN D. ADAMS 

CAPTAIN 

JAMES J. FRAWLEY 

HOUSE COMMITTEE 

P. L. ARNOLD 
G. S. WHITSON WENDELL C. PHILLIPS 

W. J. PATTERSON CHANDOS FULTON 



7> 



1 5 1900 



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